 Independence Day
|
Jul. 4th, 2009 @ 03:14 pm 
|
|---|
The compliment took her a little by surprise. She was pointing out that 'honey' was a little two generic for her tastes, and he was being charming.
"Nick," she repeated. One dinner wouldn't hurt, and she was a good agent. No one could say this one dinner would make any difference to her advancement.
"I took the liberty of looking at your file," he admitted. "I have to say I was quite impressed. You graduated near the top of your Academy class. Top marks in marksmanship, tactics and physical areas as well."
"And maybe a little luck?" Clearly she was teasing her commanding officer. Nick. No witnesses, after all.
"That's very flattering, Col... Nick. SHIELD is setting a standard for agencies all over the world. Only my best effort is acceptable, and I will only get better."
"That's the kind of thing I like to hear, Val. Agents givin' their best and gettin' better."
He took a bit of his steak. "How are ya adjustin' t' life on the 'Carrier? I know it ain't exactly the Ritz."
"Even the Ritz isn't the Ritz so much these days. Close quarters don't bother me. It's part of the job. Privacy can wait until I'm back ground side and in my own apartment."
The steak was everything a good piece of meat does well. Tender and flavorful. She ate a piece with enjoyment. The mess fed them all well, but not this well.
"You spend enough time on here an' this place starts feelin' like home soon enough." Nick had spent a better part of the past year on the Helicarrier. He had a penthouse in the city, but every time he tried to spend any time there, something pulled him away.
"I haven't been in one place enough to call it home in a long time."
"Ya will be," he said. "You'll get tired o' this flying bucket soon enough." Nick made quick work of his food. It was rare that he had enough time to sit down and finish a meal.
"I don't know that I will. There's something very 'king of the world' about being up here." Val liked it. There was a sense of accomplishment about being a SHIELD agent that she never had in her former jet-set life.
She finally put her utensils down. "Dinner was very good. Thank you for inviting me to join you, Nick."
"Yer welcome, honey. Glad t' have the company." Nick pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. "Care fer a drink?"
"Whiskey and cigars?" she asked with a smile. She stood and began neatly stacking their dishes on the tray.
"Only if ya want. I think I may have a bottle o' wine," he said as he walked over to the one wall and opened a cabinet. "I do. Whiskey or wine?"
Wine smacked of a romantic dinner, but she was on duty later and whiskey would stay with her longer.
Although...wine on the helicarrier? Clearly he was a boy scout in a former life, prepared for anything.
"Wine, please."
Nick pulled the bottle and a glass out from the cabinet and then grabbed a corkscrew. A moment later he had the bottle open and the glass filled. "Here ya go," he said as he offered her the glass.
Val took the glass, her fingers brushing his as she did. The fireworks were over outside, but there were still tiny flutters down her spine.
She carried the glass to the viewing wall anyway. This high up, there were a few stars to be seen.
Nick poured himself a glass of whiskey and then joined her near the windows. "What made ya join S.H.I.E.L.D.?" he asked breaking the uneasy silence that had sprung up.
She looked at him sideways, gauging his level of interest in her story. "S.H.I.E.L.D. approached me about joining the training program not long after my parents were killed. My family has a history of patriotic and humanitarian service during times of war and other situations. I needed a change, a chance to be useful, and to honor their memory."
She took a sip of the excellent wine. "The recruiter was very persuasive."
"They can be," Nick agreed. "Nice t' hear yer doin' it for a real reason an' not some damn fool idea about action an' adventure."
Nick took a long sip from his glass.
"I'd like to sound high-minded about it, but that's not why I'm here. If not here, it would be somewhere. S.H.I.E.L.D. offered a much broader base to work from, and better training all around. Shooting at things is just a bonus. The damned fools looking for action and adventure only get themselves killed first."
Nick nodded. "That never changes. Happened back in the World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War...."
Nick was old and there were times when he felt it, like now.
She obeyed an unexpected impulse and reached out to touch Nick's arm. Her mother would do that when her father talked about the past and the things they'd been forced to do for the good of the many. She would touch him, ground him in the present, and the shadowed look on her father's face would lighten a little.
Val realized too late she'd overstepped, but tried to cover it by stepping back. "Is that why you're here?"
Nick grabbed her hand before she could get to far away. "Bigger picture, honey. Can do a helluva lot more good here than anywhere else." He pulled her in.
"Colonel...Nick..." She went because she couldn't do anything else. Didn't want to resist. The few sips of wine couldn't take the blame for her behavior.
She tried again. "Round two should be in the gym."
| ![[info]](https://www.scribbld.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
![[info]](https://www.scribbld.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}